新奇事件簿 基因决定身材

New research suggests that people's genes¹ are key to helping² them stay slim. A study from Cambridge University in the U.K. discovered that thin people had DNA³ that contained variants⁴ which helped them stay slim and fewer variants linked to being overweight. Researcher Sadaf Farooqi, professor of metabolism⁵ and medicine, said: "We've found that there are genes associated with thinness." She added: "Genes play at least 40 per cent of a role in people's weight. It's much more than people realize." This might help explain why some people are naturally skinny while others have big problems with keeping their weight down and seem to pile on the pounds so easily.

新研究发现人类基因是帮助他们保持苗条的关键。英国剑桥大学的一项研究发现瘦的人他们的DNA中含有帮助他们保持苗条的变异体，而和肥胖相连的变异体则很少。研究员、新陈代谢和医学教授萨达夫·法鲁奇说到：“我们发现了与瘦相关的基因。”她还说道：“基因在人类体重中至少占40%的比重，比人们以为的还要多。”这或许可以帮助解释为什么一些人天生苗条，而其他人则有减肥困扰，且很容易长肉。

The study is published in the journal PLOS Genetics. The researchers said they undertook the study to find out why so many people struggle with their weight. Over 30 per cent of American adults are obese⁶, while a staggering 94.5 per cent of adults on the South Pacific island of Nauru are overweight. Professor Farooqi said she wanted to help people who are struggling with their weight. She said: "It's easy to rush to judgment⁷ and criticize people for their weight, but the science shows that things are far more complex." She added: "Healthy, thin people are generally thin because they have a lower burden of genes that increase a person's chances of being overweight and not because they are morally superior."

该研究发表于期刊《PLoS Genetics》。研究人员表示他们进行这项研究是为了发现为什么这么多人有体重困扰。超过30%的美国成年人都过胖，而在南太平洋瑙鲁岛，更有94.5%的成年人超重。法鲁奇教授表示她想要帮助那些有体重困扰的人。她说：“很容易因体重而急于判断和批评别人，但科学表明事情远没有那么简单。”她还说道：“健康、苗条的人一般都很瘦这是因为他们有着更低的基因负担，而这种基因会增加一个人肥胖的几率，并不是因为他们在道德上有优越感。”

1 genes   

n.基因( gene的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• You have good genes from your parents, so you should live a long time. 你从父母那儿获得优良的基因，所以能够活得很长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Differences will help to reveal the functions of the genes. 它们间的差异将会帮助我们揭开基因多种功能。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 生物技术的世纪

2 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

3 DNA   

(缩)deoxyribonucleic acid 脱氧核糖核酸

参考例句：

• DNA is stored in the nucleus of a cell.脱氧核糖核酸储存于细胞的细胞核里。
• Gene mutations are alterations in the DNA code.基因突变是指DNA密码的改变。

4 variants   

n.变体( variant的名词复数 )；变种；变型；（词等的）变体

参考例句：

• Those variants will be preserved in the'struggle for existence". 这些变异将在“生存竞争”中被保留下来。 来自辞典例句
• Like organisms, viruses have variants, generally called strains. 与其他生物一样，病毒也有变种，一般称之为株系。 来自辞典例句

5 metabolism   

n.新陈代谢

参考例句：

• After years of dieting,Carol's metabolism was completely out of whack.经过数年的节食，卡罗尔的新陈代谢完全紊乱了。
• All living matter undergoes a process of metabolism.生物都有新陈代谢。

6 obese   

adj.过度肥胖的，肥大的

参考例句：

• The old man is really obese,it can't be healthy.那位老人确实过于肥胖了，不能算是健康。
• Being obese and lazy is dangerous to health.又胖又懒危害健康。

7 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。